South Africa can no longer tolerate incompetency of energy minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson

2015-04-02

Adv Anton Alberts

The minister of energy, Tina Joemat-Pettersson is dealing recklessly with her portfolio and seen especially against the background of South Africa’s power crisis her incompetence can no longer be tolerated, Adv. Anton Alberts, the FF Plus’ parliamentary spokesperson on Energy says.

Earlier this month, Joemat-Pettersson was absent without any excuse for an important parliamentary portfolio committee where she had to deliver a presentation on the government’s five point energy plan to members of parliament. Her deputy minister, Thembi Majola, wasn’t present either.

She has now missed the deadline for a second time (31 March 2015) to start with the program to involve independent power producers in the power supply network.

Adv. Alberts says in terms of the five point plan it is of critical importance that independent power suppliers of renewable and coal fired power are involved to provide electricity to the network. The process for the awarding of tenders for coal and renewable contracts had to start at the end of last year already.

The deadline was not reached and at that stage it was postponed to 31 March of this year, which was then missed again. It is not known when the next deadline would be.

“Joemat-Pettersson has a history of incompetence. In her previous capacity of minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, she even had to be summoned to appear before a portfolio committee.

“The difference between her current and previous positions is that South Africa’s power crisis is critical and the country cannot afford an incompetent minister in this extremely important portfolio. The FF Plus therefore demands that she is dismissed at once and is replaced with a competent person,” Adv. Alberts said.